This year marks the first year of Festival Palomino, a day of music put on by Minnesota band Trampled by Turtles. It took place at Canterbury Park in Shakopee and had tons of fun indie rock/folk bands.

Although the heavy crowds didn’t show up until later in the day, my friend Eva and I arrived around two, just in time for the first band. Most of the afternoon was spent sitting in the grass soaking in the summer sun, talking and enjoying music. We wandered around, looking at the merch tables and food vendors.

It was a great day for people watching, as events like this draw in all the hipsters. I got a bit envious of all the lovely flannels (even though I have a healthy stock of my own in my apartment) and wondered at the meaning behind all the interesting tattoos.

At around four o’clock, a big thunderstorm hit that forced everyone indoors. Eva and I parked on a bench for two hours where we chatted and did more people watching. I ran into a guy I knew from high school, and she bumped into a former roommate.

At one point during the storm, a lady approached our bench. Impatiently, she looked down at us and said, “We’re leaving. Do you want our food tickets?” Naturally, we said yes, and she handed over seventeen little squares of paper. Later, we splurged on two pieces of pizza each and a shared Ben & Jerry’s cone. Free food, for the win!

Now, if you remember my list of influential albums from a few weeks ago, you’ll know that I love The Head and the Heart. You can probably imagine my excitement at finally getting to see them live! Eva and I were right up close, about twenty feet from the stage. They were PHENOMENAL. Oh my goodness. They sound just as good, if not better, live than on their albums. One of my favorite things about them is that the main singer (the one in the middle on my photos) is a natural performer. The way he gestured and sang certain words reminded me of the storytellers in old folk stories. The sun was setting as they played, and I was sucked in by the words and the music.

The Head and the Heart

The Head and the Heart

The headliner and sponsor of the concert was, of course, Trampled by Turtles. I will admit, I only dabble in their music. There’s just so much out there that I’m never sure what to listen to. During their set (which was over an hour) I only knew a couple of songs. We were not as close to the stage this time around (having given up our spots in favor of food). But I still enjoyed them immensely. You can’t be a Minnesota indie folk music fan and not see Trampled live. It’s something you just have to do, and I’m so glad I did!

Trampled by Turtles

Because it was so hot during the afternoon, Eva and I both forgot to bring our sweaters into the festival. In the evening, after the sun set, we rather regretted this decision. Standing in the crowd, pressed uncomfortably close to strangers, certainly helped. But at one point, while shivering away, I said to Eva, “I know how to get warm. We just have to knock out a hipster and steal their flannel. Goodness knows there’s plenty of them to choose from.”

Hello and welcome!

Welcome to Keep Your Feet! I’m Amelia, a Minnesotan in my twenties working as a librarian in a small town. Here on my corner of the internet, I share my love of books and adventure, with a mix of stories from my life. Feel free to pull up a chair, pour yourself a cup of coffee, and come along.

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